Dierdorff's Complete Game Wins Series

BECKLEY, W.Va. – Senior right-hander Dan Dierdorff threw the second complete game in consecutive days to defeat Kansas 4-3 and win the season series on Saturday afternoon at Linda K. Epling Stadium.

The Mountaineers are now 26-18 overall and 8-6 in Big 12 play, while the Jayhawks are 25-17 and 9-7. Kansas held the edge in hits at 7-4, while also committing two errors to WVU’s none.

After a rough start to the contest, Dierdorff (3-5) settled down to allow three runs on seven hits in 9.0 innings. Dierdorff struck out six and issued one walk. He retired 13-consecutive batters between the fourth and seventh innings.

Senior right fielder Brady Wilson went 2-for-4 with a run, while sophomore second baseman Billy Fleming had a three-run double to lead WVU offensively.

The Mountaineers loaded the bases in the bottom of the first with two outs and Fleming continued his torrid hitting pace with a bases-clearing double to the left center field wall to give WVU a 3-0 lead.

After Kansas scored two in the top of the second, senior catcher Alan Filauro hit a first-pitch leadoff home run to bring the WVU lead to 4-2. The opposite field blast over the right field wall was the fourth of the season for Filauro.

Kansas came back to cut the WVU lead to 4-3 in the top of the third with a pair of no-out doubles. Michael Suiter led off the frame with a double to left field and then scored on an Alex DeLeon double to left center field.

Wes Benjamin (4-5) threw a complete game for the Jayhawks, allowing four runs, one earned, on four hits with two strikeouts and one walk. Benjamin did not allow a hit in his final six innings

The teams will complete the three-game series this afternoon. With the change in the weekend schedule, fans that had purchased tickets for the Sunday game are encouraged to use the tickets today.

The game will be video streamed on WVUsports.com, while the radio broadcast will be on select affiliates of the Mountaineer Sports Network, with Morgantown affiliate WAJR 1440 AM serving as the flagship station.